Come with me, away from the frantic crowds and glaring heat of St Marks Square, into the cool silky back waters of Venice. Ribbons of satin light dance to the stirring of distant oars, reflecting straight lines of buildings into artful wobbles. The light is warm and soft, soaking into ancient layers of paint, peeling languidly away from watery walls.
Ridiculously romantic balconies hang over the winding passages of stone and water, promising whispers of love and heartache to all below. Windows which could be flung open at a moments notice to reveal ancient shadows of floating gowns and drifting hair, drip leaves and shadows across our path. Everything begs us to slow down, to soak in the colour, the sounds and the shimmering light.
Passages twist and turn with surprising suddenness, tumbling us into arched reflections, and choices. Will we cross the steep humped back of the bridge, will we step down towards the water and a waiting boat, or will we turn the corner and follow the stone lined edge of the canal. Each choice offers exquisite beauty and yet more surprises. Each turn of a corner leads us deeper and deeper into the crumbling labyrinth which is the inner heart of Venice, slowly and seductively peeling away our sense of direction, until we are utterly and delightfully lost.
Turning away from the curling winding canals seems to offer the promise of straight streets and logic, yet no sooner are we moving with certainty than the buildings seem to rise higher, crowding out the sky and the light on all sides. Streets end with dramatic right angles, forcing another unwanted change of direction, and Venice moves us deeper into her past. These peeling walls have echoed to the steps of thousands of years of history, and have felt the surge and fall of every human emotion. Blood has been spilled across these stones to settle lovers feuds at sword point, gold has been spilled in the heady mix of greed and desire, and poison has swirled hidden beneath plotting cloaks of power. The stories these bricks and cobbles could tell would fill a lifetime of reading.
Mystery, intrigue and romance fill the air, seeping through our damp skin into our hearts and minds, filling our heads with questions and delighting our eyes. The watery canal suddenly seems to offer certainty, a route out to somewhere, and we cross a bridge of light over its green silk depths.
As we follow the water it’s passage widens out, and soft fading sunlight washes the buildings, bringing brightness and space and colour. This is a nice residential area, the buildings are well kept, their layers of history held at bay beneath fresh plaster and paint. Parked at their doorsteps are clean well kept motor boats, perfect for nipping out to pick up some groceries. Flowers spill from window boxes and their sweet scent perfumes the cooling air.
The sun sinks and night falls across the city. Old wrought iron lamps flicker into light, and Venice changes once more into her glittering shimmering evening dress. The reflections are deeper and more golden, and light falls in pools around steps and corners, while darkness swallows some streets and canals in inky silent blackness. Yet more surprises await us around each unforeseen corner.
Inside Venice is a study in mindfulness and letting go of certainty. Even with a map, instinct will serve you better as a guide than logic. You will come across so many unexpected delights that getting lost will be a pleasure. Wander freely knowing that every now and then there will be a small painted arrow, high on a corner, pointing the way back to St Marks Square.
See more posts and photos on this weeks theme of inside here.
See inside another Unesco world heritage site at Tinas post this week.
Click on any photo to see it in full resoloution, and all its glory 🙂
breathofgreenair 
So many comments! Sorry for taking so long to respond! Your images give something a feel for what it was like to walk the streets in Venice. The words enhance what the pictures easily convey … that sense of history. That’s one thing we don’t get here in the U.S. … nothing is truly ancient … you know what I mean? We can visit sites that are 100 or even 300 years old … but nothing that approaches the grand ages of grounds that you are able to walk. All of your posts, this and the ones from home, all provide that sense of the wonder and warmth of so many timeless locations. Thanks for providing a glimpse which is, for me at least, rare. D
My pleasure to offer a glimpse through my eyes, of the layers of history and humanity of Europe. There is nothing new on earth in terms of people, their desires and passions and their incredible ability to shape the world.
I always feel history pressing in through the streets and buildings, so many untold stories hidden in the stones and mortar. It’s always a delight to read your comments David, thank you for reading.
Seonaid! What an absolutely wonderful post. I would love to visit Venice. Your pictures and description are too beautiful for words…really. I am visualising a wonderful, coffee table travel book by you. It would capture the spirit of a place – none of the usual travel speak…just your lovely words and pictures. P
That’s such a generous and creatively encouraging comment, thanks very much 🙂
It’s always wonderful to hear that someone really loves my style of expression. I love the idea of capturing the spirit of a place, thank you for that thought, and if you can I highly recommend a visit. I found it even more wonderful than I had dreamed it might be.
A while since I was there- thank you for walking and weaving with us around those silken waters
Oh I could spend happy months weaving around the green silk of the canals, and those wonderful pastel pink and yellow buildings….
I spent a day in Venice just wandering around and taking photos (I wrote a post on Venice’s allure for me) however your words and photos managed to capture the mystery of this city and reminded me of why I fell in love with Venice. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to seeing more photos.
I will take a look for your post, I always love to read and see others impressions of places I have been. I know exactly what you mean about falling in love with this city…..she seduces us in so many ways and in so many different lights 🙂
Such a great place to visit
It really is 🙂
Your visit to Venice – so beautifully photographed – so lyrically expressed.
I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed it Mary, it had a wonderful effect on me 🙂
Lovely words and photos,so descriptive, as always! Sounds like you’re having a great summer. My has been overwhelmingly busy and so my writing has given way.I’m looking forward to autumn and a bit more time to ponder life.
Time to ponder is such a wonderful necessity, so I look forward to seeing what creativity comes of this pondering 🙂
My trip away was very busy, so many new things to see each day, but the photographs bring me back to still points of focus, where I can tumble into and ponder the whole experience.
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Beautiful! Venice is on the top of my ‘to do list’
It had been on mine for a while, and it more than lived up to my dreams.
Go if you can….but with a full wallet as nothing is cheap in this beautiful city 🙂
Thanks for the tip!
Beautifully written and captured Seonaid 🙂 When did you visit?
Just a couple of weeks ago Paula. We started our trip with a few days there, and then headed down the Dalmation Coast, and out through the Greek Isles to Istanbul. All wonderful but Venice was my favourite 🙂
You’ve been to my country and you did not say “hello” :D. Did you take pics in Dalmatia?
We were in Dubrovnik and Kotor, taking lots of pics, but I was pretty much off line……other than some nice coffee stops with free wi-Fi 🙂
I don’t think I had realised this is the area of the world you’re from, or I would have asked for some inside tips 🙂
🙂 I hope you you had a lovely time. I grew up in Dubrovnik 🙂
We did, and what an incredible place to grow up. Did you live inside the old walled city itself? It was so beautiful it took my breath away…
I did till I was 5 🙂 Dubrovnik is a gem!!
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Wonderful photos! I love Venice, it holds a very special place in my heart. In fact you could say I am a little infatuated. My blog is full of my Venice photos. I was there just recently, and as you say it’s an absolute delight to get lost in amongst her winding alleys. What a pleasure it is to read other people’s Venice stories too. Thank you for sharing and making my morning 🙂
Thanks Ishaiya, and your photo look amazing too. It’s lovely to see how someone else shots a place I’ve just visited 🙂
I thought that too, very different styles, and I like that. It shows that everyone really does have their own personal take when it comes to photography, it’s great that that comes across so well 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog too!
Seonaid, I sure enjoyed getting lost in Venice with you. 🙂 What a dreamy, romantic city! Someday, perhaps…
It was wonderful, and I have been wanting to visit for many years, so the visit fulfilled a longheld desire 🙂
Oh my gosh, beautiful post. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure, and thanks for commenting….it really is a beautiful place
Oh my. . . every time you start your post with “come away with me” I know it is going to be a wonderful adventure, or just sublime fantasy. As always, thank you so much for sharing. These are places I’ve never been, and am not likely to get to in my lifetime. So, your pictures bring me someplace very special. xo.
I love that you enjoy my invitations to follow me into an exploration…..and I love it even more that you follow, enjoy and then let me know 🙂
I find it wonderful to see the world through others eyes, and so I try to share my take on the world for all who want to read….adding another set of eyes to the collective.
Wonderfully quaint. Wish I could pay a visit.
You should if you can….its an incredible place. Parts of it quaint, like the shots in this post of its peeling heart, while other parts are positively stunning and grand…..more to follow 🙂
Lovely photos for inside!
Thanks Janaline, it was a perfect theme to show some of the many shots I took 🙂
Beautiful post from Venice, thanks Seonid.
My pleasure Hanna, it’s lovely to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
wonderfull shots…wow, I was also there this summer -I love it! 🙂
It’s such a beautifully atmospheric place, don’t you think. I fell in love within my first hour 🙂
its 100% fascinating… If you want check my page, I also made some pix there
Such wonderful photographs of Venice! I so want to go and now more!!
I had wanted to visit since I was a little girl. My Grandmother visited back in the 1920’s and she showed me beautiful black and white slides, taken by my Grandfather, of them in this beautifully romantic city. Ever since I have dreamed of visiting, and finally this year it happened, and it was even better than I had hoped 🙂
These photos and your text tell the glorious history of Venice. Thanks for sharing!
Amy, I had dreamed of visiting this magical city for years, and it was even more wonderful than I had hoped, and the history seeps from the walls and bridges….
Oh! Oh! Oh! This is so lovely it hurts, Seonaid 🙂 I wanted to fall off that bridge into the reflection. Can’t wait for the next post!
I was really captivated by the light bouncing around this bridge. I sat patiently for 20 minutes hoping the bridge might clear of people…..however it was the afternoon of a big regatta, and the streets and bridges in this area of Academia were crowed. However I think this led me to get creative with the angle…..and the reflection was delicious 🙂
So that’s where you were! It sounds like you were entranced and I look forward to seeing more 🙂
There are lots of photos begging to be released from my card…..we started in Venice and then travelled across the waves further south and west. It’s been a wonderful watery adventure, but Venice was definitely one of the highlights for me 🙂
Oh, I love Venice and you’ve outdone yourself with these shots.
Me too Fi, and I’m glad you like the photos…..more to follow 🙂
beautiful trip to venice. thanks for sharing.
http://amarnaik.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/wordpress-weekly-photo-challenge-inside/
My pleasure, and I have plenty more shots and words to share…..this was just a little taste to fit with the theme of this weeks photo challenge!
I was so drawn in by your words and am now intrigued enough to want to see this place for myself. A lovely post indeed.
Thanks, its a very inspiring place for an old romantic like me…..I’m sure you’ll love it too 🙂
Beautiful dreamy photographs!I hope to visit this place in the future. 🙂
Dreamy is a very apt description of the place itself. It kind of lulled me off into a creative dream 🙂
Im sure you’ll love it when you do visit Angie, it more than lived up to my expectations.
I’m dreaming of the day when I get to visit it! 🙂
An enchanting city! Beautiful photos
It really is enchanting, and like nowhere else I have ever been. You can feel the tug of history at every corner.
Beautiful!
Thanks Sharon, I found the whole city beautifully inspiring, and I loved travelling around by water 🙂
Amazing perspective on equally amazing city, Seonaid! All photos are very alive but I am absolutely fascinated by the reflections and light of the third one.
I know what you mean, the reflections in this one are almost better than the actual bricks and bridge. I loved the way the light seemed to bounce round corners and under bridges, and the deep green of the canal water….all very entrancing….and the angles were wonderful because of all the twists and sharp turns 🙂
Excellent post Seoniad – revived some happy memories of a wonderful place (although we have only ever been in the winter when the mists roll in off the lagoon, the duckboards come out and the numbers of visitors diminish)
That sounds as though it takes on a whole different atmosphere. I love the sound of mist rolling in off the lagoon…..must make it quite ghostly…and even more dreamlike if that’s possible. I imagine wrapping up in a big hooded coat against the biting cold and hurrying between doors.
After 5pm even at this time of year the old city empties and the atmosphere is much more relaxed. Early morning and late afternoon were my favorite times.
It becomes very “Don’t Look Now” 🙂
We were lucky enough to visit there several years ago. It is an amazing place. I absolutely love the third photo. Thank you for sharing.
You’re right it is amazing, it was even better than I had dreamed of.
That third photo is becoming a favorite for a few of us 🙂
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i love all of these! I am particularly fond of the shots with reflections! Your first photograph looks like there is a river within the river. Every one of them are beautifully captured!
Thank you, like you I love reflections but I had never photographed in such narrow spaces before. The ribbon of light where the sky gets reflected in the water really caught my eye…I like the idea of a river within a river 🙂
The best thing about photography for me is how we become more sensitive to the beauty of light, shadows, texture, and composition around us. It’s such a neat learning process and a blessed way to see the beauty all around us.
Venice looks so interesting to me. Great images.
Thanks Dennis, I was captivated. I think it appealed to the wild romantic in me 🙂
Your Venice looks beautiful.
It really was. I took so many shots my dear husband threatened to throw my camera into the canal 🙂
you should have pushed him in. he’d have been following in one of the Hepburn women’s famous slip-steps.
Lovely post Seonaid – and of course one of my favorite places. We were there a few years back when they were suffering an incredible heat wave. Must go back for some better weather one of these days!
Thanks Tina, and I see you were thinking along similar lines on this weeks theme 🙂
It was a really lovely temperature, just a couple of weeks ago, warm but not too oppresive except right in the middle of the day. It has such a soft romatic feel to it that I fell in love immediately!
Wow…I loved reading your post…Such artistic and brilliant use of words…The pictures are amazing as well….They are so full of character and life…I felt like traveling across Venice through your words and pictures…
Pankaj
http://globalsafari.wordpress.com/
Thank you Pankaj, I fell so in love with Venice that I think it spilled into the words, and I had such a wonderful time there taking photos. Its a wonderful location for a photographer to play and have some creative fun 🙂
Yes I felt your love for Venice in the words…A very well written account of your experience in Venice….